A Pennsylvania town surprised its UPS driver with a $1,000 gift thanking him for his hard work during the pandemic

A UPS driver was moved to tears after his customers in Pennsylvania showed their appreciation in a big way.

Chad Turns delivers for UPS in the small town of Dauphin, Pennsylvania, and is beloved by his customers, said resident Jenny Shickley. As seen in a video posted to Facebook by Adam Shickley, Jenny Shickley’s husband, when Turns drove into a parking lot for what he thought was a pick up on Tuesday, he was greeted instead by a dozen residents clapping and yelling, “Thank you, Chad!”

Turns was so overcome with emotion that he pulled out his handkerchief to wipe his eyes.

“The whole town has had personal experience with Chad,” Adam Shickley said. “He once thought a package was a gift and there was a picture on the front. My kids were playing outside so he waited until his shift was done and came back to make sure they didn’t see it.”

Turns is well-known for his thoughtfulness and kindness, even after working many long hours during the Covid-19 pandemic, Jenny Shickley said, adding that he often leaves treats for their dogs when delivering packages.

She organized the special event after people commented in a group Facebook post about what a good job Turns was doing.

She raised $1,000 for Turns in two weeks in the small town in central Pennsylvania. The group gave him the generous gift with a large card signed by members of the community. The town has a population of 800, according to the Census Bureau.

Adam Shickley said Turns has taken care of them for a year and they wanted to take care of him.

“I’m still overwhelmed and it is touching that this community feels so strongly about me,” Turns told CNN.

Turns said it has been a tough year for everyone with the pandemic and he said all UPS drivers deserve to be thanked in this way.

Turns added that he will pay it forward by continuing to provide the stellar service that he is known for, something his employer echoed.

“Chad is a great UPSer and has been delivering to Dauphin residents for more than a decade,” UPS spokesperson Jackie Fajt said in a statement. “Celebrations like this really highlight the bond our drivers have with their customer base. We appreciate that UPS drivers like Chad are being recognized for how they are moving our world forward.”